---
title: "Preparing Your Environment for VMware Aria Automation Management"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/ipamvmware8x/399638686/Preparing%20Your%20Environment%20for%20VMware%20Aria%20Automation%20Management"
format: markdown
---
You must prepare some elements outside of VMware Aria Automation to support provisioning of VMs. To prepare the environment, you must create resources in the vSphere server.

> ⚠️ **Note**
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ Procedures detailed in this topic may vary depending on the version of VMware Aria Automation that you are using. For version-specific instructions, refer to the VMware documentation links listed in the *[Resources](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ipamvmvradraft/pages/17662107)* section.

# Creating Resources in the vSphere Server

Create the following resources in vSphere: 

- *[VM template](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere-sdks-tools/8-0/web-services-sdk-programming-guide/virtual-machine-configuration/creating-virtual-machines-and-virtual-machine-templates/creating-virtual-machine-templates.html)*
- *[Distributed port group](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/7-0/vsphere-networking-7-0/basic-networking-with-vnetwork-distributed-switches/dvport-groups/add-a-distributed-port-group.html)*
- (optional) VM customization specification as described in the below section.

## Creating a Customization Specification in the vSphere Server

You need to have a VM template and a customization specification in the VMware vSphere server to create VMs in vSphere using VMware Aria Automation. Customization specifications are XML files containing guest operating system settings for virtual machines. Specifications are handy for defining global features such as the guest OS host’s name, domain name, and other settings in guest operating systems. For more information, refer to [Creating and Managing Customization Specifications](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/vsphere-virtual-machine-administration-guide-8-0/managing-virtual-machinesvsphere-vm-admin/customizing-guest-operating-systemsvsphere-vm-admin/create-and-manage-customization-specificationsvsphere-vm-admin.html).  
To create a customization specification complete the following steps:

1. In vSphere, from the **Menu** drop-down list, choose **Policies and Profiles**.
2. On the **VM Customization Specifications** page, click **New**.  
The *New VM Customization Specification* wizard opens.
3. On the **Name and target OS** tab, complete the following and click **NEXT**:
  - **Name**: Enter a name for the new specification.
  - **Target guest OS**: Select the guest OS type as **Linux**.  
If the guest OS is Windows, then select **Windows** and specify the registration information for the OS in the **Owner name** and **Owner organization** fields.
4. On the **Computer name** tab, complete the following and click **NEXT**:
  - **Use the virtual machine name**: Select this option to use the same name for the VM as the guest operating system. This makes locating VMs easier for administrative purposes.
  - **Domain Name**: Enter the domain name for the VM.
5. *For Windows OS only*: If the guest OS is **Windows** and your VM requires licensing information, enter it in the **Product key** field.
6. Keep the default settings on the **Time zone** and **Customization script** tabs and click **NEXT**.
7. On the Network tab, ensure that **Use standard network settings for the guest operating system, including enabling DHCP on all network interfaces** is selected.
8. On the **DNS settings** tab, complete the following and click **NEXT**:
  1. **Primary DNS server**: Enter the IP address of the primary DNS server.
  2. **DNS Search Paths**: Enter the domain name that you created and click **ADD**.  
An example DNS search path: *testrollout.infobloxIPAMdemo.com*.
  3. Click **NEXT**.
9. Click **FINISH**.  
The vSphere client appears, showing the new customization specification in the table.